Operation Martyr Soleimani

On 8 January 2020, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted Operation Martyr Soleimani (Persian: عملیات شهید سلیمانی), launching over 12 ballistic missiles against the United States Armed Forces at al-Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq, as well as another airbase in Erbil, in response to the assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike.

The strike was the largest ballistic missile attack ever against U.S. forces abroad. Initially, the U.S. was not willing to concede the seriousness of the attack. While it initially assessed that none of its service members were injured or killed, the U.S. Department of Defense ultimately said that 110 service members had been diagnosed and treated for traumatic brain injuries (mainly concussions) from the attack. Some of them were later awarded the Purple Heart.

Iran reportedly informed the Iraqi government of an imminent attack shortly beforehand. The United States secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the attack was intended to kill, however some analysts suggested the strike was deliberately designed to avoid causing any fatalities in order to dissuade an armed American response. The U.S. said it was able to avoid fatalities because the United States Space Force provided early warning.

In the months following the attack, the U.S. deployed Patriot and other missile defense systems to some of their Iraqi bases. Additionally, the high alert of Iranian forces after the attack may have caused the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shootdown.